The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-06-23
PRESIDENT ROBINSON on TIE SALOON.

PRESIDENT ROBINSON ON TIE SALOON
At the Law and Order meeting i'll Prov
idence, r. L., Feb. II, Pres Robinson. of
Brown University, was one Of the speak
ers. We quote from his remarks:
Every man knows what the saloon is;
that it is place where foul-mouthed men
are found; where sin is encouraged place
where clear minded, honest men would not
enter; place where not only intoXican,s
can be purchased, but that partaken Of
which enters and attacks every fibre of the
system and makes physicalas well as moral
wrecks. 1t was said that the political par
ties were managing the enforcement of
the law; but to the mind Of the speaker it
seemed to him that political parties were
not always managed by men with political
sagacity, There were two political par
ties in this State, anu the simple truth was
that both were afraid to interfere with the
| liquor traffic. Their leaders evaded the
question by saying it was not their bust
| n 9SS. Let us understand this matter =
Less than thirty years ago there were two
great parties in the country, then, and as
now, there was q third one. so small that
it was sneered and made the subject of
laughter-it was, in the estimation of
others, a fit subject for derision ana idle
jokes. But it was party built upon a
moral basis, In the North all were against
it but a smal portion of the people; the
South was aolidly opposed to it. Between
the silver gray Wings and the Democrats.
they threatened to annihiate when they
gotready for action. But behind It there
was publc conscience, just that same
4 0o''eeienoe that needs arousing now. 1t
was bie conscience ofthe people of the
United States that was aroused INST as if
IS being stirred up on the subject which
engrosses the attention of the people on
this occasion. 1t has been Norkino in
Maine for several years, and While the
newspaper paragrdphers had had their
filings OF fun at it, they had not subdued
| it. 1t was working i'll Kansas and Iowa
and was spreading through the South. whore
there was greater danger than existed in
the North, on account of the presence ard
lfluence of intoxicating liquors. At the
beginning of the former work of reform \
ton. there were 5000, 900 people who were
being tranpled under the feet of vice. and
who were surrounded by all manner of
crimes. The people arose and all know
the result. 1t was not 100000 people
it was not 10, 000, GOO who were now held in
the grasp of or threatened by vice, but
the whole people. The freedom of the
country was menaced by rum. 1t affected
tie Courts and influenced the legislatures
Did the liquor element suppose that the
4 people were going to submit quietly to the
saloon power, and without Offering resist
ance see that power strike hands with the
dealers in and the manufacturers of in.
toNicants? No! They would oppose that
/ combination, and would make their pres
ence felt AS true as there was righteous
Col, the people would rise and the sllot
business would so under, and the political
managers who talked of their party and
the great work they would do, would do
well to take account of the future.
lie had not INTENDED to say anything
more than the calmest of words when he
arose to ad lress this NEE ting, but he who
looked at the people, who glanced into the
faces of the rum sellers, could not help, il
he favored sobriety honesty and truth, say
ing that he was ready to strike hands with
every other man who believed in law and
order, and desired to see Rhode Island
prohibition succeed. If money was need
ed, the people were ready with it; if any
thing else was needed, they were ready
with that,
lie who begins many things finishes bnt